Looking for good camping locations along Smokey Mountain Road. Leaving June 1 to National Monument. Hoping to camp along northern end of Smokey Mountain Rd near Death Ridge Rd. I know campsites can be scare in the area from previous experience on other roads. If anyone knows of a good place, let me know. Thanks!

I was down there a couple weeks ago. Obvious pre-existing campsites on the north end are kinda scarce. Of course you can make one somewhere. I remember passing a good one not too far out of Escalante, on the east side of the road. We ended up stopping about 20 miles south of town where you sorta top out on a flat open area after crossing a creek and climbing and winding back up out of the bottom. Further south, right at the half way point, you cross a wash that has clear water and a campsite with shade. That would be a couple hours from Escalante. Look for this...

Thanks Al, those sound like good spots!
The interesting thing about this area are all the hidden gems along the way that you might not ever find. unless you stumble upon a local like we did last fall down by 'hole in the wall'. He told us of an old cowboy camp that was hidden in a cleft at the base of a huge butte. We went and found it on our way out the next morning. It was really interesting and left me wandering just how many hidden spots there are like that.
John